Examples of Great Partner Pages – Content and Design to Inspire

Partner pages effectively engage prospective partners and build industry traction by showing off your existing lineup. You can implement two types of partner pages: the first addressing prospective partners and the second showing off current partners.

Partner pages exist on your website as a way to recruit prospective partners and engage customers. Below, we’ll explore some top partner pages along with what makes them stand out.

Powerful partner prospecting pages.

Example #1: Shopify

Shopify’s partner program page is a perfect example of how to build powerful website messaging. They start right away with a CTA, “Offer your expertise to Shopify merchants all over the world or introduce entrepreneurs to Shopify.” and the ability to sign up, making it easy for interested partners to get started.

You can explore different partner use cases as you scroll, including how you and Shopify users benefit from the partnership. This page also features partner stories and a partner testimonial, further demonstrating the program’s value.

Example #2: Intuit Mailchimp

Mailchimp designed another excellent example of a clean, engaging partner page. You’ll notice that Mailchimp also makes it easy to get started with a button to join above the fold. Then, as you scroll, you can explore the different benefits of joining, and Mailchimp highlights the number of users you’d be able to reach.

Unique to their page, Mailchimp breaks down the path through their different partner programs. This visual journey makes it easy to understand your opportunities with Mailchimp and what to expect once you sign up. Finally, the page features a slider with testimonials, a great tool for showing plenty of social proof.

Example #3: Monday.com

Monday.com does a lot of things right with its partner page. They highlight the diversity of partner types they accommodate, swiftly summarize what they can do for each sub-set, and have dedicated sub-pages and forms for each.

However, what we love most about this partner page example is the inclusion of the video at the bottom that showcases their exclusive events, like their Partner Summit. Watchers get to see firsthand how partners can network, attend seminars and glitzy dinners, and receive awards for their success. Such takeaways are much more likely to stick with page visitors when demonstrated through video rather than mere words on the screen.

Example #4: WP Engine

Next on our list of powerful partner prospecting page examples is WP Engine. They use colorful iconography to highlight the benefits, are upfront about the criteria needed to achieve program tiers, and incorporate a testimonial.

Unlike the other partner page examples we referenced, WP Engine chose to include an accordion with FAQs. While there is no guarantee that every visitor will read this section, answering questions like “Is this program the same as the WP Engine Affiliate program?” and “Why can’t I use my personal email (@gmail.com, @yahoo.com, etc) to apply?” spares your team from the effort of individually answering such inquiries.

Example #5: Sovos

The Sovos partner page checks many of the boxes we lay forth in this article and highlighted in the above-mentioned examples. Particularly noteworthy is its use of an easy-to-understand table to explicitly state which partner classification receives specific benefits. This sets clear expectations from the start and grants prospects transparency into the various benefits they could receive, such as MDFs and access to co-branded materials.

Example #6: Visible

Proving that there is no objectively right way to approach a “partner with us” page is Visible. They share some similarities with the above-mentioned examples, such as highlighting criteria and including partner testimonials. The page component that sets them apart is highlighting their partner leadership team, providing both transparency and the reassurance of professionalism while simultaneously giving a personal touch.

Example #7: Yotpo

Yotpo’s partner page is not the first example we’ve shown that incorporates testimonials from program participants. However, they’ve made first-hand accounts from their partners the main selling point on their page by featuring them in the header and scattered throughout the content blocks.

What we particularly love about the testimonials they chose for their page is that the partners highlight the different benefits to tell a multi-faceted story rather than hitting the same point over and over again.  

When prospective partners read on-page quotes like “Yotpo empowers our clients with a single solution for their eCommerce needs” coming from one of their potential competitors, it creates a sense of FOMO.

Powerful partner showcase pages.

Unlike the previous example pages targeted at potential partners, a partner directory shows off your existing partners. It can be a powerful way to provide extra value to your partners and engage prospective customers.

Example #1: Klaviyo

Klaviyo is a strong example of a powerful partner directory. Klaviyo makes it easy to search their existing partners with in-depth search and filtering tools.

You can click on each partner listed to learn more about them and the types of projects they do, including their region, monthly budget, and competencies in different areas. Partner pages also feature past work examples, existing clients, a testimonial, and an easy way to get in contact.

This visibility is valuable for partners who can gain exposure through the page and prospective customers who can better understand your ecosystem before buying.

Example #2: Adobe

Adobe has an extensive partner ecosystem, making it invaluable for them to have an easily navigable directory page.

Their page breaks partners into a few categories. Depending on what you’re looking for, you can click into subcategories like Cloud Solution Partners or Training Partners, then use filter functionality to find specific partners. This functionality allows the user to find the exact service they’re looking for, connecting partners and prospects quickly.

Example #3: Vidyard

Vidyard is another great example of an easily navigable partner directory web page. Vidyard makes it simple to sort by location, expertise, services, and even certifications.

You can click into each partner featured to learn more about their offerings and contact them. This functionality is a great way to nurture prospects interested in using your platform, but only with the help of a managed services provider. This way, they see that help is available and can get started right away without feeling like you won’t be a good fit.

20. LiveChat’s Customer Service Platform

Company size: Mid-Market
Industry: Technology
Partner program types: Affiliate, Solutions

If you’re looking to truly personalize conversations with your customer service team, no one does it better than LiveChat. With an outstanding product that integrates with hundreds of platforms, it’s hard not to see your next partnership roadmap in the making.

Not only is the LiveChat platform easy to use and implement, but LiveChat offers a free marketplace where partners can learn the ins and outs of the tool and become a “LiveChat Expert”. Once the expert status is achieved, partners get recognized by the Marketplace and promoted to over 600,000 visitors per month. Sounds like a win-win!

Key Takeaway: Give your SaaS partners a reason to want to learn. If they can see gains beyond familiarity with the platform and ease-of-sale, they are more likely to invest their time.

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21. Pickering Interfaces Simulation Tools

Company size: Mid-Market
Industry: Switching product
Partner program types: Affiliate, Distributor, Channel Partner

Though based out of the UK, Pickering Interfaces has offices across five continents. They create switching and simulation software and equipment or PXI, LXI, PCI, and USB usage.

Pickering caters to prospective partners within its website by building pages like Becoming a Partner and Program FAQs, as well as making the portal accessible from the main site. They anticipate prospects’ questions, highlight participants in the Partner Search function, and link to example sales materials like success stories and product videos. This reassures potential partners that their program has a robust system in place prior to even speaking to one another.

Key Takeaway: It’s never too early to address prospective partners’ concerns about your program. An onsite FAQ is an easy-to-digest format in which you can address questions related to fees, expectations, perks, and more. Your answers may encourage increased sign-ups from qualifying candidates, as well as steer unqualified candidates away.

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22. Databox’s KPI Reporting Software

Company size: Mid-Market
Industry: Technology, Information, Internet
Partner program types: Affiliate

Databox lets you track your company’s performance in one place. By connecting all your data sources, including Google Analytics, HubSpot, Salesforce, AdWords, and more, companies can choose from a library of pre-made dashboard templates or build their own, tracking performance and discovering insights in minutes.

Examples of Databox partner program perks are:

• Partnering with Databox to collect and report on metrics for up to 10 clients for free
• Co-marketing resources
• Lead sharing
• Online training
• Inclusion in a public directory of Databox partners
• Utilization of a template gallery

Utilizing the partner portal, agencies can also contribute report templates to the Databox directory and receive lead data when others utilize those templates.

Key Takeaway: Offering a free program tier for SaaS partners can open the door for additional revenue opportunities in the future. This strategy grants newcomers the chance to experience your partner program at no risk or cost, easing any hesitations they may previously have.

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23. Unbounce’s Landing Page Builder

Company size: Mid-Market
Industry: Advertising Services
Partner program types: Agency, Referral

Unbounce makes it easy for all users to build, launch, and optimize custom landing pages using their drag-and-drop page builder. This frees up marketers to create and modify website experiences without the aid of a developer, speeding up timelines and lowering costs.

Unbounce’s B2B partner program offers partnership opportunities for agencies and also integration partnerships for app developers. Their website publishes  a list of Unbounce app integration partners but not agency partners. They do, however, offer an Agency Success team for agency partners.

Visit their partner program page, and you see messaging geared toward referrers. They explicitly state the simple steps for getting set up and the rewards. Their message? Unbounce can help you make easy money.

Key Takeaway: Referral partner programs is arguably the best strategy for generating more leads without requiring partners to undergo extensive onboarding that may discourage participation. As a bonus, partners that start off as low-commitment referrers may later choose to play a more active role in the sales process.

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24. Uberflip’s Content Experience Platform

Company size: Mid-Market
Industry: Software Development
Partner program types: Tech, SI, MSP, Agency

Uberflip lets SaaS companies build compelling content for their audiences. By consolidating the clients’ materials into one dynamic Content Hub, users can get better results from the content they already have, increasing lead generation and engagement. The platform also lets companies use AI-powered content recommendations to recommend personalized content for their audience.

Uberflip’s partner program, while small, is powerful. For example, they provide a public directory of certified partners and a free sandbox account for all tiers, as well as 10% revenue share on referrals. Higher-tier partners receive more perks, including:

• Custom pricing for partners
• Co-branded marketing
• Strategic materials to help grow sales
• A dedicated channel manager
• Priority partner support
• Even free tickets to their annual Conex conference

Key Takeaway: Offering a free sandbox account to partners can help partners both to grow their own business, and to better learn and understand your product.

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25. Wistia’s Video Hosting Service

Company size: Mid-Market
Industry: Internet Publishing
Partner program types: Referral

When it comes to video hosting, Wistia is the best tool on the market. Wistia helps agencies run video marketing campaigns for their clients and provides video analytics to help agencies prove the ROI of their services. Customers and agencies can track who’s watching which videos and for how long—invaluable data for a sales team.

Like most examples we chose, Wistia’s B2B partner program is tiered and free to join. Advantages include:

• Access to sales training
• Comparative data and case studies
• An internal agency community and directory

Higher program tiers require SaaS partners to bring in increasing monthly revenue from referrals. This unlocks added benefits, such as:

• Public directory listings
• Dedicated sales coaches
• The option to guest post on Wistia’s blog
• An invitation to speak at partner events

While there’s no cost to join the program, Wistia doesn’t offer commissions on referrals.

Key Takeaway: Focus your partner program page on benefits, not features, to best sell the program to potential SaaS partners.

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26. Vidyard’s Online Video Marketing Platform

Company size: Mid-Market
Industry: Online Audio and Video Media
Partner program types: Tech, Agency

Vidyard helps turn video viewers into customers with advanced video tools for sales, marketing, and customer support teams. Partner agencies can deliver personalized video strategy and marketing services to their clients as well as help them measure their campaign success through Vidyard’s integrated reporting system.

Vidyard partners receive the following benefits:

• Paring with a dedicated Partner Success Manager
• A channel program manager to assist with co-marketing activities
• Free versions of their video sales tools
• Specialized training in personalized video creation
• Video marketing automation
• Sales enablement
• Access to a directory of Vidyard experts sorted by specialty

Key Takeaway: Equipping partners with free versions of your tool allows them to understand how it works, the benefits, and be able to communicate those points to their prospects from first-hand experience.

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27. Auth0’s Universal Authentication Platform

Company size: Mid-Market
Industry: IT Services and IT Consulting
Partner program types: Strategic Alliance, MSP, Ecosystem Partners, Solution Providers

Auth0 makes it easy for SaaS providers to authenticate their users across web and mobile applications. Auth0 Technology Partners can utilize the Auth0 platform in their own B2B SaaS tools, and Solution Partners can consult, refer, and help customers build new apps or integrate the Auth0 platform into their existing apps.

Auth0’s partner program doesn’t provide a public directory of partners, but they do provide a lead form to inquire about partners that can help with specific issues. They also provide generous resale and referral commissions as well as strong pre- and post-sale support to ensure the success of their partners.

Key Takeaway: Offering generous referral commissions are important, especially when first starting your partner program.

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28. Copper’s Productivity-Focused CRM Tool

Company size: Mid-Market
Industry: Software Development
Partner program types: Tech, Reseller

Copper embeds your CRM right into Gmail, making it easy for agencies to update opportunities and manage their pipeline.

Joining Copper’s partner program unlocks strategic benefits, including:

• Exclusive discounts
• Partner rewards
• Early access to new products and features

The Reseller Program offers additional benefits for high-volume partners. They earn a one-time commission of a one-month licensing cost, once that customer has maintained their account for three months.

Key Takeaway: Often, your partners are also your best users – be sure to tap them for their feedback when developing new product features. By granting their program participants early access to upcoming SaaS updates, Copper simultaneously conducts a pilot test while granting partners a valuable perk. If you apply this strategy to your own SaaS partner program, why not take it one step further to collect ideas on what features to develop next?

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29. Leanplum’s Mobile Marketing Platform

Company size: Mid-Market
Industry: Information Technology
Partner program types: Tech, Solution

Leanplum makes it easy for SaaS companies to increase user engagement through in-app messages, automated emails, and text messages, helping to increase lifetime value and create lasting customer relationships. They provide a full suite of mobile marketing tools, including push notifications, automated email marketing, and in-app messages.

Leanplum’s partner program includes access to dedicated marketing, sales, and technical support for the product. Leanplum also provides a public directory of Leanplum partners.

Why we chose to list Leanplum among the best partner programs is that they frequently team up with partners to co-produce content or host events. In turn, they’re able to broaden their brand’s reach, reward star SaaS partners, and indirectly promote their program.

Key Takeaway: Co-marketing efforts like joint webinars with partners help drive results for both you and your partners. Not only can promotional strategies move the needle for program success metrics like revenue, but they also play a role in partner satisfaction.

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30. Pantheon’s Hosting and DevOps Tools

Company size: Mid-Market
Industry: WebOps, Technology, Information, and Internet
Partner program types: Reseller

Pantheon allows marketers and developers to build, host, and manage high-performance websites without the hassle of hiring full-time operational staff to manage the site. Pantheon partners can publish new campaigns and fresh content without IT support. This empowers agencies to speed up their developer productivity and centrally manage client sites. Additional examples of SaaS partner program perks include:

• Free hosting for development sites along with their own agency website
• Access to a developer dashboard and site management tools
• Additional monitoring tools like New Relic, priority support, assisted migrations, custom training workshops, and more
• A directory of trusted agencies and help choosing the best match for their partners’ needs.
• Promotion on Pantheon’s social media channels

Plus, higher-tier partners can receive up to 10% commissions for referrals, joint business planning, and access to special strategic partner events.

Key Takeaway: Value-added services for partners, like assisted migrations, are easy strategies for creating value without increasing development costs.

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31. JustCall’s Software Development Partner Program

Company size: Mid-Market
Industry: Software Development
Partner program types: Tech, Affiliate, Reseller, Referral

JustCall is a mid-market software development company specializing in cloud-based phone systems geared primarily for customer support teams. SaaS features include access to localized phone numbers from over 58 countries, CRM integration, and comprehensive reporting dashboards.

Impressively, JustCall’s SaaS partner program has increased its number of participants by over 500 in less than three years. Such successes earned their program an Allbound Award and an invite onto the Partner Channel podcast.

Benefits of partnering with JustCall include 20% recurring sales commission for reverie referees business as long as the client is with JustCall. Another program advantage is that partners receive early access to their B2B products.

Key Takeaway: JustCall encourages other companies to have a pre-existing partner knowledge base in place alongside strong partner onboarding and support. Also important? A clearly defined payout timeline and structure.

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32. Starburst

Company size: Mid-Market
Industry: Data Access and Analytics
Partner program types: Consulting, MSP, Cloud, Consultant, SI, Tech, Reseller

Starburst AI is a rising star in the competitive Analytics and BI technology space. Perhaps their success is due to their use of open-source technology or the broad deployment options and tool capabilities. However, there’s no doubt that their partners play a role in their wins. To quote their own site, “Starburst believes the partner ecosystem is central to driving our Go-To-Market strategy, product journey and overall business success.”

Their hard work toward building a stellar SaaS partner program led them to win the International Channel of the Year title during the 2022 Allbound Awards. They also received Data Wire Reader’s Choice award for the top three data and AI startups.

Key takeaways: When asked about their partner program’s success, CEO of Starburst AI, Justin Borgman, noted the importance of being mindful of the economic realities of the various partners’ home countries. By responding with flexibility and compassion to partners struggles with issues like inflation, you can dramatically strengthen the relationship.

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33. Vena Solutions’ Excel Complete Planning Solution

Company size: Mid-Market
Industry: Software
Partner program types: Referral, Implementation, Tech

Vena Solutions is like Excel, but better. Oh-so-much better. While it enables an interface similar to Excel for intuitive use, it further pushes the boundaries of what’s possible within spreadsheets with advanced audit trails, workflow, data drill-down, and security capabilities. Its diverse application has earned Vena Solutions a generous range of big-name users, from the Kansas City Chiefs to Coca-Cola.

Vena Solutions’ partner program experienced swift growth, expanding its contribution toward the company’s total revenue from 5% to 20% within a single year. While a number of factors led to such powerhouse results, Aleksi Mattlar, Manager of Partner Success, noted the importance of focusing on SaaS partners who contribute revenue or show above-average promise rather than showing equal attention to all partners. By automating certain portions of the partner lifecycle with PRM technology, partners that aren’t receiving 1:1 attention can still grow and register deals.

Key takeaways: When observing this top SaaS partner program example, there are two primary lessons we would want you to glean. The first is the value of specializing roles within your own team. While there are multiple approaches you can take toward this initiative, Vena Solutions had their managers take ownership of different parts of the partner journey. In turn, they were intimately familiar with the ins and outs of that particular program aspect, better serving partner needs.

The second key takeaway SaaS channel programs can learn from Vena Solutions is the power of a thoughtful partner page. Not only does the content highlight the available partner types and the quality support they receive, but they also incorporate video footage of current program participants to help their messages resonate.

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34. First Orion

Company size: Mid-Market
Industry: Telecommunications
Partner program types: Reseller, Tech, Referral

A telecommunications company that focuses on reseller, tech, and referral partners, First Orion aims to provide partners with solution and technology providers dedicated to providing a better communication experience and growing their revenue streams. Dubbed the Partner Prime Program, First Orion’s partners can enjoy program benefits like:

• Innovative branded communication solutions
• New revenue streams
• Expanded partner ecosystem
• Improved customer satisfaction

Key Takeaway: Mike Coleman, Channel Chief at First Orion and Mike Otting, Senior Vice President of Platform and Wholesale at First Orion both emphasize that it is crucial to get internal buy-in and access to necessary tools. The first step over at First Orion included getting a SaaS partner portal and ensuring that their billing/compensation timeline was accurate and always on time. Some best practices from both players include:

• Automation is key
• “You only get one chance to make a first impression” – Mike Coleman, Channel Chief at First Orion
• A/B test items in your portal with early adopters – For example: does tagline A work better than tagline B?
• Early adopters helped them see the value of the PRM investment and communicate that upstream to the C-suite, so executives can see that they’re investing in solid processes, procedures, and tools

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35. Incorta

Company size: Mid-Market
Industry: Data Analytics
Partner program types: Cloud Services, Tech, Channel, SI

Incorta, a mid-market data analytics company, is described as being the modern platform for ERP analytics. Organizationally, they are of the mindset that partnerships should fill a gap and that companies will be less successful with just a go-to-market play. Incorta as a company has seen growth after implementing a requirement for partners to receive certifications for the technology, citing that partners need to fall in love with the technology and understand the unique value of the your company for a partnership to truly succeed.

Incorta does a great job with clear calls to action on their partner page with an “access partner portal” button immediately on the page with a “become a partner” button next to it.

On the partner page, they highlight:

• Three benefits to being in their partner program immediately
• Featured partners
• Which partner types they work with
• A marketplace

Incorta also hosts an annual partner bootcamp, inviting SaaS partners to their Newport Beach office with a typical turnout of around 20 people across two days. The goals for this bootcamp include:

• The goal is for partners to understand the real sales process
• What do customers and prospects think about how different messages are delivered to them?
• What is it about their technology that is able to solve unique problems for these customers?
• This bootcamp also helped strengthen the relationship between Incorta and their partners
• They used their partner portal, Allbound, as a key pillar in this. They pulled up learning tracks they created within Allbound and other content so partners knew where to find it and learned the value of the portal.

Key Takeaway: Face-to-face time can create immense value when it comes to deepening trust and strengthening relationships. Although it isn’t a money-saving strategy, it can create immeasurable value between your team and your highest value partners.

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36. Powell Software

Company size: Mid-Market
Industry: Software Development
Partner program types: SI, Reseller, Tech, Referral, Distribution

Powell Software is a global Software Development company that focuses on Western Europe, the Nordics, NA, APAC, and Australia. It’s no surprise they walked away from the Allbound Awards with the accolade for EMEA Partner of the Year, as they built a company and product with a partner-centric focus. Powell typically partners with SI, Reseller, Technology, Referral, or Distribution companies.

In order to provide autonomy and independence for their partners, they utilize the Allbound portal as it enables them to scale rapidly in multiple countries with limited resources. Powell believes in long-term partnerships – not just contracts and commissions.

Key Takeaway: We spoke directly to Edouard Payenneville, Powell Software CSO, about how his SaaS partner program found such levels of success. He noted that partnerships should be a strategic decision in the company. He also highlighted the importance of being transparent as a way to build trust, especially when expanding your program to global B2B partners.

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37. Caspio

Company size: Mid-Market
Industry: Software Development
Partner program types: Solutions, Technology, Affiliate, Marketplace (Data/Apps)

Joining Caspio’s partner program is free and comes with great benefits such as a free developer plan, free training and certifications, referral commissions of 20% or more for three years, visibility in their partner directory and app marketplace, and much more.

What makes them standout from our examples of SaaS partner programs is that they strive to deliver the friendliest, best-in-class experiences for partners. This means greater accesssiblity to account managers via portal, phone, or email.

Caspio partner program benefits:

• Build a new revenue stream for your business by creating services built around Caspio’s no-code platform
• Co-marketing and co-selling support from Caspio
• Free demo instance, training and certifications
• Referral commissions through deal registration
• Listing in our Partner Directory
• Additional benefits for Advanced Partners

Best of all, this partner program has no cap on referral commissions.

Key takeaway: You need to give in order to get can mean multiple things – typically it refers to sending leads to a partner, but you can also drive value through training, visibility, and access to free tools.

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38. Ruler Analytics’ Marketing Attribution Platform

Company size: SMB
Industry: Information tTechnology
Partner program types: Agency Partners

Ruler Analytics helps marketing agencies collect the data they need to show ROI on their campaigns. Agencies can monitor not just call performance, but all channel, campaign, and keyword data in one location.

Ruler Analytics partners enjoy special monthly incentives to help introduce new clients to the platform as well as ongoing revenue share. The program provides strong training and custom marketing materials to help partner agencies market their SaaS services. Also available are a white label version of Ruler with support for custom subdomains that agencies can utilize for their client reporting. In a unique twist, Ruler also offers additional revenue share for recruiting other partners, something from which many other SaaS platforms could benefit.

Key Takeaway: Offering revenue share for recruiting additional partners is an easy way for your partner program to stand out.

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39. Podia’s Refer-a-Creator Program

Company size: SMB
Industry: E-learning Provider
Partner program types: Referral, Affiliates

Podia is a website and digital experience builder aimed at small businesses that may not have access to a robust development team. While users can build landing pages, they can also leverage Podia to create webinars, marketing emails, and other B2B digital assets.

As the name suggests, Podia’s  Refer-a-Creator Program focuses on referrals. Their friendly platform offers SaaS partners everything they need to start hosting and selling online courses, memberships, and digital downloads minus the headache of setting up things like billing and hosting themselves.

Noteworthy partner program perks include:

• Podia offers a 30% referral commission for the lifetime of referred customers
• They strategically leverage content to help their partners. For instance, they provide detailed instructions on how to add links to their website, as well as new ideas for blog posts and newsletters
• They work alongside their partners to promote their relationship through activities like joint webinars sent to both their mailing lists.
• It’s easy for potential partners to join with minimal barriers or waiting period

Key Takeaway: Make it easy for partners to join your program, and they’ll be more likely to refer customers in return.

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40. Seventh Sense’s Email Send Time Optimization Tools

Company size: SMB
Industry: Software Development
Partner program types: Agency Partners

Seventh Sense helps agencies increase their email open rate and engagement for their clients by optimizing email send time and frequency. Seventh Sense integrates with HubSpot and Marketo to find the best days and times to send email campaigns, making sure to send them when they’ve got the best chance of being read. Additionally, they can also help time phone call scheduling within HubSpot.

Seventh Sense partners enjoy access to following:

• Training and sales resources, including an Agency Playbook full of proven processes and strategies to help increase sales
• Listing in a public directory of Seventh Sense partners

Additionally, Seventh Sense is part of HubSpot’s Apps for Agency Services Program, offering their software for free to Platinum and Diamond HubSpot agencies.

Key Takeaway: Partner community programs like HubSpot’s Apps for Agency Services provide a low-risk strategy for expanding your program’s offerings while increasing the reach of your own SaaS product.

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The most obvious reason to observe the best partner program examples in your software niche is to gleam ideas you can apply to your own. However, competitive research serves additional purposes, including:

• Competing programs’ strategies and resource investment set the benchmark you need to achieve – Let’s face it, there isn’t an infinite number of resellers and partners that your program can enroll to reach your ideal customers. The pool of prospective candidates is even smaller when considering those who you would classify as “priority” or “top tier.” With this in mind, you are competing against other SaaS partner programs to attract and retain participants of the highest caliber. If your niche doesn’t provide the best partner program experience, expect to face an uphill battle when it comes to recruitment, engagement, and growth.

• Shifting industry standards influence SaaS partners’ expectations from your program – A few years ago, a program could get away with manually managing B2B partners with the aid of spreadsheets and shared drives. However, since then, an increasing number of programs have adopted PRM software to automate key functions for the benefit of partners and account managers alike. Partner programs that fail to meet participants’ evolving expectations and dynamic priorities will see diminishing returns.

• Other SaaS partner programs’ successes and strategies can strengthen your business case when talking with leadership – Did a company of a similar size to your own see 20% revenue growth thanks to B2B partners and resellers? Did they successfully establish connections in a market your company hopes to enter? Highlighting their efforts and outcomes can help prove the feasibility of your strategies and nurture the fear of missing out (FOMO) that lives within everyone, including your leadership.

• Understanding B2B and channel trends helps you stay ahead of the curve to be the best SaaS partner program possible – In an ideal world, your goal isn’t just to be ‘good enough,’ but to rise above the increasingly crowded arena of partner programs and enter the echelon of the best of the best. For example, if you see others adopting the same ‘partner with us’ layout with the exact same talking points, challenge yourself to veer in a different (but equally effective) direction.

New or Looking to Learn more About SaaS Partner Programs?

Diving deep into what makes the best partner programs so successful may generate new questions for those still learning the ins and outs of the industry. Key terms you may encounter in your research include:

Examples of Different Types of Partners

• Referral partners – A referral partner program trains and incentivizes partners to send you new prospects for your team to convert.
• Resellers – A reseller program consists of partners who sell on your company’s behalf, meaning that they handle the majority of communication with perspectives.
• Value Added Resellers – Value-added resellers (VARs) operate similarly to your program’s resellers except that they bundle your products with their own to create a more comprehensive package.
• System Integrators – As the name implies, SI partners coordinate interactions between multiple software systems. This can include infrastructure integration, application integration, or consulting.
• Managed Service Providers – MSP partners manage underlying IT needs for customers. This grants prospective software users the peace of mind of reduced outages and technical issues, as well as a clear point person to handle related issues.  
  
  It’s fairly common for successful SaaS companies to offer multiple partnership types.

Common Abbreviations Related to B2B Partner Programs

• PRM – Partner relationship management (PRM) software combines a partner-facing portal experience with admin-managed automation capabilities to create a one-stop shop.
• MDF – Short for “marketing development funds,” MDF is money a SaaS program awards to its best partners to help finance promotional efforts such as co-hosted conference booths, PPC landing pages, etc.
• SPIFF – SPIFFs refer to temporary sales competitions or incentive campaigns intended to spur additional partner program engagement and sales.

Additional Reading to Help You Start a Partner Program or Build Success

Allbound offers expert insights and resources to both mature partner programs and those in earlier stages of development. Teams looking to establish early footholds and evolve past the beginner phase will benefit from:

• How to Build a Channel Partner Program – The initial decisions you make when first forming your SaaS partnership program will directly impact future success. Check all the boxes with this comprehensive guide and lay the groundwork for forward-thinking strategies.
• Channel Data Management: Setting Your PRM for Success – The partner program data you collect today will inform tomorrow’s strategies. Learn which KPIs you should track and how to effectively analyze the results
• Repeatable Processes Are the Secret to Partner Operations Success – The key to partner program growth is strategic procedures that you can replicate, scale, and partially automate. Read this article to find specific examples and learn how to effectively implement structured processes across your partner program.